On May 21st, 2022 my sports career took a huge turn that I never expected. I was playing on an AAU Travel team and we were at a tournament. We were playing a game and all of a sudden I fell and I didn’t quite know what was wrong. I knew that my leg was hurting but I thought I had just pulled a muscle. I tried walking it out but then it popped and I knew I needed to go to med express. The doctor said I just strained the muscles in my knee and I would just need to rest for a week. After the doctor told me this I thought nothing of my injury. In about a week or so I would be back to my everyday life on the volleyball and basketball court. That is at least what I thought was going to happen. 

Two weeks after my injury when my knee wasn’t looking better and only getting worse I decided it was time to go to the doctor. This doctor told me that I would need to get an MRI as soon as possible because he thought I tore my meniscus. That is when my heart dropped because I knew this would affect my sports seasons. The good news was that he didn’t think it was my ACL which was a relief because I knew that that injury was much worse. I was really upset about everything but really hoping for the best and that I would be fine. Then we got the news. 

I was informed that I had a torn ACL and meniscus. I was absolutely crushed I knew that this was an even bigger deal now. I had two options I could either get surgery now and maybe be able to play basketball or try to wear a brace and make it through my senior season’s. I asked Rebekah Gillespie what she thought she would do in this situation. She stated, “Personally I would end up having the surgery right away because I don’t know if I would be able to play through a torn ACL. I would rather deal with it now than later.” Of course, I chose the brace option so I could have a chance to do the sports I love during my senior year. Ever since that decision, my sports season has been quite a challenge I never know when my season could end, and how much pain I can push myself through. I know though this has taught me how strong my body actually is and that I am a very determined person. It has also taught me how to look at the more positive side of life. There is something positive in every day even if you have to look a little harder on certain days.